Purpose and Mission

The American Chaplains Association purpose is to provide not only a fellowship for chaplains of all faiths but a place for chaplaincy certification, educational opportunities, a community for chaplains to connect and membership affiliation to assist and help those find their call and destiny as a chaplain. ACA also provides guidance, direction, accountability and chaplain to chaplain services.

As such, ACA seeks to:

Humbly invoke the assistance and blessings of Almighty God, as we associate ourselves together for the following purposes:

(a) To safeguard and strengthen the forces of faith and morality of our Nation, one person at a time;(b) To perpetuate and deepen the bonds of understanding and friendship with those with whom we have an opportunity to interact;(c) To preserve our spiritual influence and interest in all areas of chaplaincy, whether in the marketplace/corporate, military, police/first responder, hospital/hospice, jail/prison, or sports and educational institutions.(d) To uphold the Constitution of the United States; and(e) To promote justice, peace, and goodwill.

Key characteristics of chaplaincy service:

1. Servanthood – to serve those that God places in our path, without respect to his or her religious affiliation or outward characteristics.2. Humility – To serve these people with a spirit of humility, considering others while continually bettering ourselves.3. Focus – To focus intently on serving others, as a way to worship our God, who has blessed us with the ability to serve Him by serving them.4. Enthusiasm – To serve faithfully with rich enthusiasm, knowing that it is not for ourselves or truly for others that we serve, but we serve ultimately as unto the Lord.5. Excellence – If we offer our lives up to others as chaplains, if we do so with the humility of a faithful servant, if we maintain the proper focus on the God we serve, our enthusiasm will not wane, and we will do so with excellence, as God’s Spirit leads us and gives us more and more opportunities to serve.